Golf:Lee Westwood was taken to hospital on the eve of the French Open in Paris today after the discovery of what could be a blood clot in his right leg. And with the British Open at St Andrews only two weeks away the world number three was not the only star who had to pull out of the pro-am at Le Golf National.
Ian Poulter did not compete either after a bite on his right shin appeared to have become infected, Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie rested his Achilles heel problem and Italian teenager Matteo Manassero had been hit on the left hand.
But Westwood was the one causing the most concern and after being examined on site he was tight-lipped and not wanting to comment as he was driven away with his wife Laurae.
Former Tour colleague Stuart Cage, who now works for Westwood’s management company International Sports Management, said: “Lee felt pain in the calf and it was swollen yesterday. But when he woke this morning his ankle was swollen too, so he decided to have it checked out in the physio truck.
“The French doctor there thought it could be a blood clot and said Lee should go to hospital for tests. He has not pulled out of the tournament yet because he is still really keen to play. A decision will not be taken until the results of the tests are known.
“Obviously he has to take the doctor’s decision seriously because it’s a very important time of the year with The Open coming up.”
Poulter said: “I was practising at Woburn on Monday and got bitten by a horsefly or something. It was swollen yesterday and when I put my hand in my pocket I felt a big lump on my groin and knew it wasn’t right.
“I went to the doctors, was given antibiotics and decided I was well enough to fly this morning, but that’s probably not done it any good. An English doctor said I should go and have an intravenous drip but the French one did not think that was the right thing to do and has given me tablets.
“I’ll come up in the morning to see how it is. Hopefully I’ll be okay, but walking for five hours is not going to do it any good and nor is the heat.”
Montgomerie was under treatment all last week in Munich for both a torn calf muscle and Achilles strain, but Manassero’s mishap came while he was practicing yesterday and did not see the shot from another group after letting them through.
The 17-year-old, who finished a spectacular 13th in last year’s British Open as an amateur, has been assured there is no break and is keen to play after being given one of seven invitations he is allowed after turning professional following the US Masters in April.